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Sundin gets a break in pre-season

The Maple Leafs aren't going to burn out Mats Sundin, their offensive workhorse, during the exhibition schedule.

Sun., Sept. 16, 2007

The Maple Leafs aren't going to burn out Mats Sundin, their offensive workhorse, during the exhibition schedule. Coach Paul Maurice said he expects Sundin to play only one of the team's first four exhibition games. He will play more in the final four games but he won't play as much as last season when he appeared in five of eight friendlies.

Maurice said he wants to mostly use the first four games, three of which are on the road, to look at some of his prospects before paring his 54-man camp down.

"We're going to play a lot of the younger guys, give them each a chance. Some will get one game; a lot of them will get two."

Sundin, by the way, led the team in scoring in last year's pre-season play with six points in those five games. Alexander Suglobov and Andy Wozniewski were next with five points each.

WELLWOOD'S WELL: Training camp skates that approach 90 minutes can be among the toughest practices of the season so Kyle Wellwood was pleased with how his groin muscles have responded to the hard slogging. He had sports hernia surgery last season that sidelined him for 33 games.

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"I feel great. This time last year I was already feeling my groin (straining) just from practices. Feeling great after a skate at training camp is definitely a great sign and puts me in good spirits."

ALL DRESSED UP: With two exhibition games against Phoenix next week, Maurice will be on the bench opposite the usually sartorially splendid Wayne Gretzky, coach of the Coyotes, for the first time in his career. Maurice said he's not even going to try to match the Great One's garb.

"You cannot outdress the man so don't try; don't bring a knife to a gunfight," he said. "No one is going to be looking at our bench anyway so it doesn't matter what I wear."

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